Thermostatic valve



2 Sheets-Smelt 1 7 INVENTOR. Herben? 7zx.

ATTORNEY.

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June 25, 1935. H B, TR|X THERMOSTATIG VALVE Filed Sept. 30, 1933 June 25, 1935. H B, TRlx 2,006,153

THERMOSTAT I C VALVE.V

Filed sept. 50, 1933 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. Herber E. Tfn/ ATTORNEY.

Patented June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERMOSTATIC VALVE Application September 30, 1933, Serial No. 691,719

6 Claims.

This invention relates to thermostatic valves and the object of the invention is to provide a thermostatic valve in which the valve member is locked in position by means of a bimetallic arm, the said arm being arranged to release the valve member upon change in temperature.

Another object of the invention is to provide va thermostatic valve in which the valve member is released upon increase in temperature and upon a subsequent decrease in temperature the valve member is again locked in position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described including a bimetallic arm for locking or releasing the valve, in which the valve is provided at the pivot with a helical thermostatic element arranged to vary the opening of the valve in accordance with the temperature of the fluid flowing past the valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve which is normally locked in the closed posi/ tion and upon increase of temperature is unlocked by a thermostatic arm and is then subject to a second thermostatic element controlling the position of the valve in relation to the temperature of the uid flowing past the valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve of the character described in which the valve under decrease of temperature returns to the closed position and the bimetallic arm will` then move to position to lock the valve as the temperature of the fluid further decreases.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a section through a thermostatic valve embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken n line 3-'3 of Fig. i.

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 1 showing an alternative type of valve provided with a helical thermostat about its pivot.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 6. f

Fig. 8 is a section through an alternative form of the valve held in the open position by a bimetallic arm.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section through a poppet type valve normally heldin the open position by a bimetallic arm.

Fig. il is a section taken on line lI-ll of Fig. l0.

The valve shown in Fig. l comprises a bracket l and in this figure the valve is shown as used to control the water circulating system of an internal combustion engine. However, this valve may be used in any form of conduit with any type of iiuid owing therethrough in which the temperature of the fluid varies. In this connection the valve work as emciently with' a gas as with a. liquid.

In the form shown in Fig. l the bracket l is secured to an adjacent portion of the engine water jacket 2 and this water jacket is provided with an inlet 3 and an outlet 4. In the particular type of the device shownP a conduit 5 is provided leading into the water jacket of the engine and a return conduit 6 is provided leading from the water jacket of the engine to the outlet while a partition 'i is provided between the conduits 5 and t.

As shown in Fig. 2 the bracket l is provided with extending circular ends d in which a tube 9 is secured by the rivets i@ and the valve member li is provided with an end i2 extending about the tube 9 and pivotally mounted thereon. The bimetallic arm i3 is provided with an upturned end which is secured to the bracket 2 by the screw i6 and at the opposite end this bimetallic element is provided with an upturned end l5. A lug I6 is struck downwardly from the plane of the valve member ii and the end I5 of the bimetallic element normally engages over the edge of the lug I6, as will -be understood from Figs. 1 and 2.

In the position shown in Fig. 1 the valve member Il is locked in the closed position by the bimetallic arm engaging over the lug I6. As this is used in connection with an automobile engine, the water jackets are normally'full of water for cooling the engine and the object of the valve is to prevent circulation of the water until it reaches a predetermined temperature.

As the water in the inlet 3 reaches approximate-- ly degrees in temperature after the engine has been started, the bimetallic arm will move to the dotted position shown in Fig. l thus unlocking the valve and allowing the pressure of the water in the inlet 3 to raise the valve to the dotted position shown in Fig. 1 so that the water may ow through the conduit 5, through the Water jackets of the engine and thence back through the conduit 6 and out through the out- 55 let 4. With this type of engine, a water pump or impeller is generally used to assure circulation of the water and as soon as the valve is opened the water will, of course, circulate in the normal manner.

If the engine is idling, the valve may not be pushed up to the extreme position shown( in dotted lines in Fig. l but may assume an intermediate position depending upon the flow of water past the valve.l When the engine is stopped, the valve will fall by gravity to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 but the bimetallic arm I3 will not return to the locked position until the temperature of the waterthereabout drops to 120 degrees or below, at which time, it will move to position to lock the valve in the closed position. This device is very useful on automobiles with which hot water heaters are utilized as it insures bringing the water up to temperature before circulation of the Water commences and thus the water may be heated to get the maximum efiiciency from the engine and from the water heater in the shortest possible time. While the bimetallic arm I3 may be arranged to open at 120 degrees temperature, it may be arranged to open at a higher or lower degree of temperature, if desired, in which case the bimetallic arm I3 would be constructed to release the valve at the desired temperature.

An alternative form of the construction is shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7. In this form of construction, a helical thermostat is provided for controlling the position of the valve in relation to the temperature of the fluid owing thereby. In this form the bracket I is provided with a flange I1 at the top shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 and is also provided with outwardly bent ilanges I 3 and I9 at the ends which extend beneath the flange I1. The flange I9 is provided with a round aperture in which the round end 20 of a member 2I is positioned and the flange I3 is provided with a square aperture in which the square end 22 of a member 23 .is positioned.

A helical thermostat 24 is welded tolor otherwise secured to the member 23 at one end while at the opposite end the helical thermostat fits about the member 2l. otherwise secured to the exterior of the helical thermostat about the member 2I and the valve member II is provided with an end 26 extending about the ring 25 and welded or otherwise secured thereto. This end 26 is also secured to a ring 21 at the end opposite the ring 25 and this ring 21 is spaced from the helical thermostat, as shown in Fig."6. The bimetallic arm I3 is secured to the bracket I in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1 by, means of screws I4 and this bimetallic arm is provided with an upturned end I5 for engaging the lug I6 of the valve II. The` locking action of the bimetallic arm I3 is the same as that described in Fig. 1 and as the valve I I is released by downward movement of the bimetallic arm the fluid comes in contact with the helical thermostat 24 thus opening the valve iny accordance with the temperature of the uid. One end of the helical thermostat is held in fixed position by the square end 22 of the member 23 and thus the temperature of the fluid will cause the helical thermostat to turn thus turning the opposite end of the helical thermostat and by means of the ring 25 which is secured to the helical thermostat and tothe end 23 of the valve the turning movement of the .thermostat will turn the valve in accordance with the temperature of the uid to open the conduit 5 propor- A ring 25 is welded or.

tionately. With this construction the flow of fluid past the valve will be controlled accurately by the helical thermostat in that the helical thermostat will control the opening of the valve and restrict or allow flow of the fluid in accordance with the temperature of the fluid.

In some cases it may be very desirable to lock the valve in the open position by means of a bimetallic arm 30 shown in Figs. 8 and 9.. In this form of the device the bimetallic arm is secured in' the interior of a conduit 3| by means of the screw 32 and the bimetallic arm is provided with an upturned end 33 to engage over the valve 34. This valve 34 is provided with a pair of brackets 35 secured thereto, as shown in Figs. '7 and 8, and a shaft 36 is pressed through these brackets so that the shaft is apress fitin the brackets and the valve 34 will turn with the shaft 36. A packing 31 is provided with which a packing nut 33 is used and a handle 39 is secured to the end of the shaft for re-setting the valve. A flat spring 40 is secured to the interior of the conduit by the screw 4I and presses downwardly on the end of the valve 34 opposite the bimetallic arm.

In operation the flow through the conduit is in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 8. Under normal conditions, the valve is held open by the bimetallic arm as shown. However, should the temperature of the fluid flowing through the conduit raise, the bimetallic arm will, move to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, at which time, the spring 40 will press the valve down to the closed position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. This movement of the valve also turns the shaft 36 and handle 39 and by means of the handle, the valve may be turned back to engage beneath the end 33 of the bimetallic arm 30 so that the valve can be re-set with the handle as soon as the temperature is back to normal. This arrangement is very useful in a number of diierent installations, an instance of which would be for use in connection with a shower head `in which a sudden ilow of scalding water might occur and burn the bather.

With this device in the conduit leading tothe shower head a sudden flow of hot water would instantly close o the conduit.

In Figs. 10 and 11 an arrangement is shown for holding a poppet valve in the open position by means of a bimetallic arm. In this form a valve seat member 42 is fitted into a conduit 43 and is provided with a valve seat 44. At the end opposite the seat 44 a series of apertures 45 are provided and a guide 46 is provided for the valve stem 41. A poppet valve head 48 is secured to the stem and is provided with a face 49 to fit the valve seat 44. At the end of the stem opposite the head, an enlargement 50 is provided and a coiled spring 5I is positioned about the valve stem between the end 5|! and the member 42. This spring 5I normally moves the poppet valve to the closed position unless prevented by the bimetallic arm 52 which is secured to the valve seat member 42 by the screw 53. This bimetallic arm is provided with an upturned end 54 arranged to normally engage behind the enlarged end 50 on the valve This valve is particularly useful in connection with a gas in which a back fire in the portion 59 of the conduit will pass between the valve and seat and through the openings `to heat the bimetallic arm 52 which will immediately move to the dotted position.

'I'his will release the valve to action by the spring 5| which will move the valve 48 to engagement with the seat 44 thus closing the c onduit against further back pressure. In this movement of the valve, the end will stop adjacent the cam 58. As the gas! cools off about the bimetallic arm 52 the end of this arm will move up into engagement with the cylindrical face of the end 50, at which time, the handle 51 may be turned to turn the cam 58 against the end 50 and move it forward to a position where the bimetallic arm may again engage behind the end 50 to hold the valve in the open position. The handle 51 may then be again turned to the 'dotted position shown in Fig. 10 whereupon the device is entirely re-set for further operation.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device is very simple and eiicient in' operation, is composed of few parts and is of consequent low manufacturing cost, will not easily get out of order and provides aldevice which accomplishes the objects described.

Having thus fully described my invention, its

utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. In a. thermostatic valve, a bracket, a valve member pivotally mounted on the bracket and provided with a depending lug, the valve member being arranged to fall by gravity to the closed position, a bimetallic arm having an end normally engaging the lug of the valve member to hold the valve member in the closed position', the bimetallic arm being arranged to release the valve member upon reaching a pre-determined temperature and a helical thermostat arranged to turn the valve member on its pivot under temperature variation.

2. In a thermostatic valve, a pivotally mounted valve member, aV bimetallic arm normally engaging the valve memberto hold it in xed pol sition, the bimetallic arm being arranged to release the valve member upon reaching a predetermined temperature and a thermostat arranged to turn the valve member on its pivot under temperature change.

3. In a thermostatic valve, a pivotally mounted valve member, a thermostatic arm normally engaging the valve member to hold it in xed position, the thermostatic arm being arranged to move out of engagement with the valve member upon reaching a pre-determined temperature and a thermostat arranged to turn the valve member on its pivot under temperature variation.

4. In a thermostatic valve, a pivotally mounted valve member, a thermostat arranged to turn the valve member on its pivot under temperature variation and a bimetallic arm nor- 6. In a thermostatic valve, a Valve member,

a thermostat arranged to turn the valve member under temperature variation and a bimetallic arm normally holding the valve member in a pre-determined position, the bimetallic arm being arranged to release the valve member to action by the thermostat upon reaching a predetermined temperature.

` HERBERT B. TRlX. 

